Pregnant Woman Gives Birth in Waymo Self-Driving Taxi

A woman in California went into labor while riding in a Waymo self-driving taxi on her way to the hospital. This incident occurred as she headed to the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center earlier this week.

The Waymo passenger support team noticed some unusual movements coming from the vehicle, prompting them to contact 911 to ensure the mother’s well-being. Ultimately, she successfully gave birth in the taxi.

A representative from Waymo expressed their pride in being there for significant moments, however small, and extended their best wishes to the new family. They look forward to safely transporting them during future life events.

Despite not sharing specifics on how the vehicle identified the unusual activity, Waymo indicated that it is equipped with cameras and microphones on both its interior and exterior.

According to Waymo, the mother and baby reached the hospital safely, ahead of the emergency responders.

In a related note, a spokesperson from UCSF confirmed that both the mother and child were indeed taken to the hospital after the ride.

Following this event, Waymo quickly removed the vehicle from service for cleaning. They also mentioned this isn’t the first time a baby has been born in one of their taxis, although it remains a rare occurrence.

This news comes shortly after Waymo announced a recall of its self-driving cars due to at least 19 reports of vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses in Texas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has requested an explanation from Waymo regarding these incidents by January 20.

Video evidence from the Austin Independent School District highlights several occasions where Waymo vehicles failed to stop for school buses with flashing red lights and deployed stop arms, all while pedestrians were nearby.